Report by Ben Davis

No one expected Pompey to get anything from Charlton and they were correct as a Steve Jones headed goal was enough to settle a fairly poor game. The news that Stoke won leaves Pompey in a precarious position and relegation looks a close certainty, to survive they would have to win their last two games. At the moment Port Vale are to team to catch because they are faced with two very tough games and currently lie three points above Pompey. The only problem is that Pompey don't look like scoring goals, and of course it is goals that win games.
David Hillier was forced out of the game duo to a family illness and in came Sammy Igoe who hadn't played for three months. Alan McLoughlin recovered from his illness and took Fitzroy Simpson's place who couldn't find a place on the bench. Despite the small numbers, the Pompey fans were still making a lot of noise prior to kick-off.
The game started off scrappily and in the third minute Thomson was the first player to be booked when he fouled Mendonca from behind. Pompey were immediately on the back foot with Charlton clearly hungry for a win which would move them a step closer to automatic promotion. Credit though must go to the Pompey defence which coped well and frustrated the Charlton strikers. The visitors managed to get a breather when Heaney crashed into Pethick who was left in a heap on the ground. The wing-back though got back to his feet and immediately went in for the drop ball.
Heaney's trickery down the left flank was causing Pompey several problems and in the 15th minute he won a dangerous free-kick to the left of the area. The former Southampton man whipped it in and Youds was inches away from converting the cross which went behind for a goal-kick. Seconds later Igoe got in Pompey's first effort at goal when his 20-yard curler flew well over Sasa Ilic's goal.
The best chance of the game so far fell to Newton who fired a Steve Jones knock down from a Heaney cross just wide. Three minutes later Charlton's full-back Mills pushed forward and his great low cross was missed by Steve Jones who couldn't quite reach it.
It was all defending for Pompey with their main outlet Aloisi being heavily marked whenever he received the ball. Still though Flahavan hadn't made a real demanding save until the 30th minute. McLoughlin brought down Charlton's top scorer Mendonca 25-yards out and Flahavan was well placed to gather Kinsella's shot. Five minutes later Kinsella had another opportunity when Steve Jones put in a great cross from the right but the midfielder headed just over to the frustration of the home fans.
Eventually Pompey broke out of their defensive play and created their best chance in the 40th minute. Pethick got in some space down the right and his excellent low cross was nicked behind by Mills as Aloisi looked to tap into an open goal. McLoughlin took it and Whitbread rose highest only to head a couple of yards wide. Charlton tried to attack but were then almost hit on the break by Pompey. Igoe broke forward and his neat pass found Aloisi but he lost out to Rufus who had got back.
Durnin blasted a shot way off target a minute later before Charlton went close to scoring right on half-time. Vlachos brought down the impressive Newton close to the right side of the area. Kinsella swung it in and Youds put an attempted shot wide at the far post.
Aloisi caused his marker Rufus a scare in the opening minute when the defender cracked a clearance against the striker, fortunately for him Ilic was aware and saved the goal bound deflection. The Aussie striker though was still being kept out of the game by some very tight defending and it was hard to see where a goal for Pompey would come from.
Bowen drove a long range effort wide before Newton decided to go on a mazey run and was eventually put off by Flahavan after walking through the Pompey defence. At the other end a McLoughlin corner caused havoc in the area after a Vlachos knock down but Charlton managed to clear the danger. The crossbar then saved Pompey in the 54th minute when from a Heaney cross Steve Jones looped a header back over Flahavan which bounced down off the woodwork.
Shortly afterwards McLoughlin attempted a lob from the half-way line after a poor clearance by Ilic. That was cut out and Charlton quickly went back up the other end where they took the lead. Heaney was again the creator as he surged down the left and put in a brilliant cross which Steve Jones headed in at the far post. The home side didn't sit back and Newton fired a shot just wide after another good run at the Pompey defence.
On the hour Charlton cleared another scramble in their area and a minute later went close to adding to their lead. Mills drove in a fine low cross from the right and Steve Jones was inches away from connecting to make it two. In the 64th minute it really should have been two when Steve Jones was released by Kinsella and his pull back found Newton who put a shot into the side netting with the Pompey defence nowhere.
Kinsella put a 30-yarder wide before Ball made a change which was quite a baffling one. He brought Paul Hall on but amazingly took off Aloisi who is about the only person who is likely to score for Pompey. That change made little difference as Pompey were now without Aloisi's ability to hold the ball up in attack.
Fortunately for Pompey they were still in the game due to Charlton's dreadful shooting which saw Heaney, twice, and Newton fire efforts wide of the target. In the 77th minute Ball made his second change when Svensson came on for Igoe. The Swedish striker had to chance to do something straight away from a corner, but that was played short and Charlton intercepted it. Two minutes later Durnin became the second player to be booked when he fouled Bowen.
The dangerous Steve Jones was hunting for a second goal but was being kept out by Whitbread who was doing his best to keep his team going. The referee came to their rescue when he disallowed a Charlton goal five minutes from time for handball by Mendonca. Then right at the end of the match Hall had a golden opportunity to equalise. Flahavan's long goal kick was poorly judged by Youds and allowed Hall in behind him but, with only the keeper to beat, the striker placed the shot wide of the goal.
It is still all there to play for and Pompey must win both their remaining matches in order to survive, and even that might not be enough. Alan Ball will have to work very hard on the training ground to try and work on how to score goals which have suddenly dried up in recent weeks.